The present invention relates to an electric compressor.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H02-78784 discloses a hermetic electric compressor that includes a sealed container having therein a compression element and an electric element. The sealed container further has a hermetic terminal for supplying electric power from an external power source to the electric element and a partition plate (a baffle plate) that is disposed in the sealed container and blocks the flow of refrigerant taken in through an inlet pipe and flowing toward the hermetic terminal. The hermetic electric compressor of the Publication is configured to prevent the refrigerant that is taken in through the intake pipe from flowing to the hermetic terminal to thereby prevent condensation of the moisture on and around the hermetic terminals.
Since the hermetic electric compressor of the Publication No. H02-78784 is adapted for use in a home appliance and installed through a mounting base, there is a sufficient space in the sealed container. Therefore, it is relatively easy to install a partition plate (a baffle plate) in the sealed container.
Meanwhile, in the case of an electric compressor for a vehicle such as an automobile, a compression portion that compresses refrigerant, an electric motor portion that drives the compression portion, and a motor drive circuit portion that drives the electric motor portion are integrated. Recently, demand for reduction in the size and weight of the electric compressor is increasing. Under such circumstances, there has been proposed an electric compressor of a substantially cylindrical shape and including a housing in which a compression portion, an electric motor portion, and a motor drive circuit portion are disposed serially in a direction.
This type of electric compressor is made small in both radial and axial directions. Therefore, the space for disposing components and the space between components are limited. Therefore, it is difficult to provide a sufficient space between the refrigerant inlet and the conductive members inserted through a partition wall separating the electric motor portion from the motor drive circuit portion. It is also difficult to dispose the conductive member sufficiently spaced away from the flow of the refrigerant that is taken in through the refrigerant inlet. As a result, the conductive member may be cooled by the refrigerant that is taken in through the refrigerant inlet and the moisture may condense on and around the conductive member on the motor drive circuit portion side, which may result in poor electrical insulation. It may be contemplated to provide a shield plate in the housing for blocking such flow of refrigerant. Unlike an electric compressor for a home appliance, in the case of an electric compressor for a vehicle, there is not a sufficient space available for installing a shield plate in the housing. To be more specific, it is difficult to assemble an electric motor portion to the housing in which a shield plate has been previously installed. Furthermore, there arise problems that the ease of assembly of the electric compressor as a whole is lowered and that the installation of a shield plate involves an increase in the space of the housing and hence the size of the electric compressor as a whole.
The present invention which has been made in view of the circumstances above is directed to providing an electric compressor which is capable of preventing condensation of the moisture on and around the part of the conductive member located on the drive circuit side and enhancing the ease of assembly of the electric compressor, while preventing an increase in the size of the compressor.